Vehicle seat frames and mechanisms

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a mechanism for adjusting the angle of the seat back to the seat base in which toothed members are provided on parts secured to the seat back and seat base at both sides of the seat, and in disengaging the teeth for angular adjustment one plate at each side is lifted bodily with respect to the other plate at each side to take the teeth out of mesh.

United States Patent Turner [4 May 16, 1972 s41 VEHICLE SEAT FRAMES AND2,941,583 6/1960 Tischler et al ..297l369 EC ANISM 3,051,526 8/1962Werner et al ....297/367 M H S 2,546,834 3/1951 Pfau ....297/366 [72]Inventor: Harold Roy Turner, Walsall, England 1,182,855 5/1916 Poler..297/357 [73] Assignee: H. R. Turner (Willenhall) Limited, Wal- FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS England ,806 10/1963 France ..297/3 67 [22]Filed: Sept. 2, 1969 963,754 5/1957 Germany ....297/369 pp No: 4,1,187,870 4/1970 Great Britain ....297/366 Primary Examiner-Paul R.Gilliam [30] Foreign Application Priority Data mmmey Kurt Kelman June 8,1968 Great Britain ..27,360/68 [57] ABSTRACT The invention provides amechanism for adjusting the angle of [52] US. Cl ..297/369 the sea-tback to the seat base in which toothed members are Cl 3/00 1/02 providedon parts secured to the seat back and seat base at [58] Field of Search..297/353, 366-372, both sid of th seat, and in disengaging the teethfor angular 297/357; 5/74 adjustment one plate at each side is liftedbodily with respect to the other plate at each side to take the teethout of mesh. 56] References Cited 5 Claims 8 Drawing Figures UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 2,712,345 7/1953 Borisch ....297/369 PATENTEDMAY 16 I972SHEU 1 [IF 4 H/VENToR mow Rim/e1? GEM' PATENTEDMAY 16 I972 SHEET 2 [1F 4wvevr HAROLD RTSfiA/ER Kam- PATENTEDMAY 16 1972 SHEET 3 [IF 4 wvevrm WowR. Tum/Q1 kG T PATENTEDHAY 16 I972 SHEET '4 [1P4 wuamm maul) aroma!VEHICLE SEAT FRAMES AND MECHANISMS This invention relates to vehicleseat frames and mechanisms and is an improvement over the inventiondescribed in our co-pending patent application No. 16930/67 whichdescribes and claims a seat frame or mechanism having as a particularfeature, a relatively massive tube running along the hinge axis andconnecting opposite sides of the back rest or seat base; the mechanismactually described and claimed includes toothed members on each of twoplates, one attached to the back rest and the other to the seat base,and a rotary cam which lifts the one toothed plate and takes the teethout of mesh. In this action the tube lifts, and the plate through whichit-extends and to which it has relative movement, has an elongated slotto allow this lifting. In a so-called single-sided mechanism, the tubeis journalled at one end opposite to the end associated with the toothedplates. In a double-sided mechanism both pairs of plates (since a pairif provided at each side whether or not teeth are provided at'each sideof the seat) have one with an elongated slot to allow tube movement.Hence the tube is lifted bodily or is merely tilted about an axis at oneend.

The present invention avoids the use of said tube.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a seat mechanismfor adjusting the angle of the back rest relative to the seat base,comprises a pair of plates secured respectively to the back rest andbase, and each carrying teeth which may mesh to hold the. parts fasttogether the plates being pivoted on a common hub which extends throughan aperture in one plate, and through an elongated slot in the otherplate, and a cam rotatable about the hub axis and co-operating with anabutment on the slotted plate for causing relative displacement of oneplate transverse to the hub axis when the cam is turned.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a seat mechanism hasa pair of plates pivotally secured together at each side of the seat,one plate of each pair being attached to the seat base and the other tothe seat back, the latter projecting forwardly beyond the said one plateand having a lower edge exposed. This enables trim to be applied to theback restin an easy and convenient manner, to extend across the backrest, beyond the sides of theseat and across the rear face of the backrest, and include a portion across the lower edge of the back rest,without providing complicated slots to clear the seat base plates, andto hide the mechanism completely.

The inventions areillustrated in the drawings accompanying theprovisional specification wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a seat frame ready for trimming;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged elevation of a portion showing one mechanism; 7

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a section on the line 44 FIG. 2;

FIG. 5.is a view similar to FIG. 3, of one part only, showing the sidehidden from view in that Figure;

Further, the invention in accordance with another embodiment isillustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view;

FIG. 7 is an elevation partly in section; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional rear elevation.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 5, the complete seat frame comprises a seatbase frame 10 and a seat back frame 11, and a mechanism is provided ateach side of the seat, at the rear thereof for hinging the two framestogether and controlling angular adjustment thereof.

One mechanism comprises plate 13' fixed to the back rest and having acircular journal hole 14, and plate 15 fixed to the seat base and havingan elongated slot 16 Plate 15 has teeth 17 formed directly thereon orfast therewith, and plate 13 has like teeth 18. The latter extend in anarc concentric about the axis of hole 14, and the teeth 17 are in an arcconcentric about an axis of a semi-circular portion at one end of slot16. Slot 16 is of the shape generated by moving a circle (containingsaid semi-circular) in a straight line.

Plates 13, 15 are joumalled on bush 20, which is cylindrical. Hence theback rest can turn relative to the seat base on the bush, and moveradially of the bush relative to the seat base. In one radial extremeposition, the two sets of teeth mesh as shown in FIG. 2, and to permitturning, the seat back has to be lifted to the other radial position.

Fast with the bush is cam 19, and handle 12 is connected to squarespindle 22 which engages a like bore in the bush, so that the bush andcam can be turned together. The spindle has an extension projectingtowards the other side of the seat.

Plate 15 has reaction abutments 25, 26 and anchors spring 24 which turnsthe cam to the position illustrated in FIG. 2. Displacement, i.e.lifting of the handle 12, turns the cam so that a lobe of the samecontacts abutment 25 and displaces the plate 15 relative to the bushand-lifts teeth 18 off teeth 17, to free the mechanism for turning.

Release of the handle allows the seat back to drop by gravity to re-meshthe teeth, and although the cam may tum'via the reaction abutment 26,the spring assists in restoration.

' The mechanism on the other side of the seat is similar, but is linkedto the common handle by rod 23 welded to bush 21 at that side, and tothe spindle 22 extension at the handle side.

Torsion bar spring 28 is U-shaped and has one tail engaged in a clipbore 29 on the plate 13, and the other in a tube 30 of the seat base,and this spring urges the seat back to a vertical position.

Plate 15 is reinforced by an edge flange 27 which also forms a camreaction abutment.

For ease of trimming in the upholstery of the frame, plates 13 have alower edge 31 which terminates in an upwardly extending slot 32, andthis allows a pre-formed panel of fabric to extend along the chain dotline 33'and terminate at slot 32, giving a heat appearance andsimplifying assembly. v

The mechanism shown in FIGS. 6 8 are generally similar,

but omit the slot 32, and the parts thereof are indicated by thereference numbers as used in the description of FIGS. 1 5 with added:plate 113 is modified by the addition of a curved plate 40 over theteeth 118 and which projects below those teeth. Teeth 117 extend betweenthe plate 40 and the plate 113 per se and this arrangement shields theteeth and prevents ingress of dirt and grit to the intertooth recesses.

Moreover, plate has an elongated slot42 closely adjacent to teeth 117,and plate 113 an arcuate slot 44 concentric with its teeth, and a rivetor bolt 46 extends through the slots, and permits both angularadjustment and radial movement in meshing, but holds teeth 117 in thesame plane as teeth 116 even under severe deflection of the respectiveseat frames. Moreover, slot 44 limits the angle of adjustment andprevents teeth 117 moving beyond teeth 118.

The cams 119 are modified by the addition of a limb 50 in the one casehaving-an elongated slot 51 into which the end 52 of spindle 122extends, the squared portion being omitted, and said end 52 is welded torod 123, the end of which also lies in the slot. With the other cam, therod is welded direct to the limb. The effect of this is that the handle112 is directly coupled to one cam but is coupled to the other cam atthe handle side of the seat via the slot 51, and there is sufficientfree play between the slot and the rod and spindle to allow slightlyindependent action of the two mechanisms, so that the two can remeshseparately. Hence if the seat back is distorted, one side may re-meshafter adjustment, but the other be prevented from so doing because theteeth are out of mesh. When the distortion is released, the second sidewill re-mesh.

The invention may be employed in a single-sided mechanism, using a plainhinge at one side of the seat.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for adjusting the angle of a back rest of a seat relativeto the seat base, comprising: a pair of plates secured to said back restand said seat base respectively, each of said plates havingco-operatively meshing teeth adapted, under the weight of said back restto engage and hold said plates together, one of said plates having acircular aperture and the other of said plates having a radial slotextending upwardly and forwardly with said seat and aligned with theaperture and extending transversely to said teeth, a hub extendingthrough said aperture and said slot about which said plates are adaptedto pivot, a cam rotatable about the axis of said hub,

said cam fixed to said hub, abutment means formed on one of 5 2. Theseat mechanism of claim 1 wherein a lever handle is included and coupledto said hub for rotation of said cam.

3. The seat mechanism of claim 2, wherein the plate secured to said backrest has teeth projecting toward the axis of said hub, and said cam isadapted to raise said plate and said seat base to thereby disengage saidmeshing teeth.

4. A seat including a pair of seat mechanisms according to claim 1located respectively at each end of said seat, and a rod extendingbetween the hubs of each of said mechanisms, said rod being operativelyconnected to at least one of said hubs.

5. The seat of claim 3, wherein one end of said rod is operativelyconnected to its associated hub and the other end is freely rotatablewithin its associated hub.

1. A mechanism for adjusting the angle of a back rest of a seat relativeto the seat base, comprising: a pair of plates secured to said back restand said seat base respectively, each of said plates havingco-operatively meshing teeth adapted, under the weight of said back restto engage and hold said plates together, one of said plates having acircular aperture and the other of said plates having a radial slotextending upwardly and forwardly with said seat and aligned with theaperture and extending transversely to said teeth, a hub extendingthrough said aperture and said slot about which said plates are adaptedto pivot, a cam rotatable about the axis of said hub, said cam fixed tosaid hub, abutment means formed on one of said plates co-operating withsaid cam, said abutment means secured to said radially slotted plate,and means for rotating said cam against said abutment to relativelydisplace one plate transverse to the hub axis relative to the otherplate, thus causing said teeth to disengage and allowing relativeangular movement between said back rest and said seat base, and boltmeans, interconnecting said plates, said bolt means extending through aslot in the other plate radial to said hub axis, whereby the angulardisplacement of said plates is limited by the dimensions of said slots.2. The seat mechanism of claim 1 wherein a lever handle is included andcoupled to said hub for rotation of said cam.
 3. The seat mechanism ofclaim 2, wherein the plate secured to said back rest has teethprojecting toward the axis of said hub, and said cam is adapted to raisesaid plate and said seat base to thereby disengage said meshing teeth.4. A seat including a pair of seat mechanisms according to claim 1located respectively at each end of said seat, and a rod extendingbetween the hubs of each of said mechanisms, said rod being operativelyconnected to at least one of said hubs.
 5. The seat of claim 3, whereinone end of said rod is operatively connected to its associated hub andthe other end is freely rotatable within its associated hub.